Vitamix 5300 blender review
The Vitamix 5300 is a popular blender in Vitamix's C-Series of blenders. It has a 2.2 horsepower (HP) motor and an MSRP of $529.00. This blender is best known for being a twist on Vitamix's best-selling blender, the 5200. The two main changes from the 5200 to the 5300 are the use of a more powerful motor (2.2HP vs 2.0HP) and a low-profile container. This shortens the overall height of the 5300 so that it can easily fit under most counters where the 5200 and the standard container will not. Vitamix 5300 Video Review Vitamix 5300 Dimensions One of the key features of the Vitamix 5300 is its size. The blender measures in at 17.25" tall by 8.75" wide and 7.25" deep. This means that it will fit on almost any counter under any standard-height cabinets. The more popular Vitamix 5200 with its standard container is 20.5" tall, which will not fit under all cabinets. (Standard counter-to-cabinet height in newer homes is 24 inches, but in many older homes and city apartments it is 18 inches.) Many popular competiors to the Vitamix (that is to say, high-end blenders) are too tall to fit under standard cabinets, but all are not. Here are some well-regarded alternatives to the Vitamix 5200 / 5300 and their heights: *CleanBlend 3HP - 17" tall *Oster VERSA 1400-watt (BLSTVB-RV0-000)- Short jar - 17.6" tall *Oster VERSA 1400-watt (BLSTVB-000-000) - Tall jar - 20.5" tall *KitchenAid 5-Speed - 16.3" tall *BlendTec Total Blender - 15.5" tall The blender weights 12 pounds in total and has a 6-foot long cord. Vitamix 5300 Specs The 5300 has an impressive set of specifications, though given its price these should be expected. Foremost among the specs is the 2.2HP motor. It's a powerful piece of equipment that will power through peanut butter, ice, and anything else that finds its way into the container. *Power specs: 120V, 11.5A *Blade diameter: 4" *Blade material: Laser-cut stainless steel *Cooling: Built-in cooling fan with thermal protection system *Manufactured: USA Controls The Vitamix 5300 is a very simple machine - it turns on, it turns off, and it pulses (turning on and the immediately off then the button returns to its original position). Aside from that, the only thing you can do with the blender is control the speed of the blade, which is done using the dial at the center. Cooling and Overheating The blender is cooled using a fan inside of the housing. The fan speed is dependent on the motor speed, so if you have a lot of blending to do it's important that you turn the speed up! It might seem counterintuitive, but long periods of time at a low speed will burn out the motor, whereas shorter bursts at very high speeds (when the fan runs high) will not. So don't be afraid to turn the blender to the higher positions. Sound and Noise Levels In a room with an ambient sound level of 47db we recorded this blender hitting up to 95db when at its maximum setting (highest RPM level) and blending 2 cups of water. This isn't quite as loud as a lawnmower, but remember -- it's a 2.2 horsepower motor in your kitchen! It's going to be pretty loud. Old vs. Next Generation The Vitamix 5200 and 5300 are part of the C-Series of blenders. This essentially means nothing to us as consumers, but the important thing to note is that these two blenders (while still being very popular) are not part of Vitamix's next generation of blender. The next generation model of the Vitamix 5300 is the Vitamix 7500 . It also features a 2.2 horsepower motor, but it's considerably quieter than the 5200 or 5300. The Professional Series 300 and Creations Elite are also Next Generation blenders. Downsides *Low-profile container is wide so has trouble with dry materials and when blending small quantities of material *Low-profile container spout is messy and doesn't pour particularly well *Cannot grind grains (you need the Dry Grains container for that) *Vitamix containers are made of plastic, not glass, and are not dishwasher safe *There is no 220V option, only 110V *The blender gets very loud at times (others are worse though!) *Older models had an issue with "black specks" but that has since been fixed Conclusion The Vitamix 5300 is a particularly compelling blender thanks its combination of size and performance. It combines the basics of the legendary 5300 with a low-profile container and a more powerful motor, while keeping the price lower than that of the next generation models. We'd highly recommend the refurbished model which will give buyers a long warranty while keeping the price down. Interestingly most of the downsides of this blender are a result of the low-profile container which, while allowing the Vitamix to go under any cabinet, doesn't perform as well as the classic container. End Notes Amazon links are affiliate links Category:Reviews Category:Blenders